Every time we receive pieces of information structured in theoretical sets, organized in some way, we are acquiring knowledge.
Information is power, as long as we are able to organize and structure it correctly so that it is useful when it comes to relating with ourselves and our environment.
They serve as a prerequisite for the acquisition of other knowledge. Learning a certain topic requires that we have prior knowledge that serves to establish and strengthen new learning.
They are useful to navigate our daily lives in a practical way. Normally, more educated people with a higher level of knowledge tend to have greater ease in resolving conflicts and succeeding on a daily basis.
They serve as a vehicle for our thoughts to flow Individuals who have more knowledge tend to also be more capable of reasoning and interpreting reality in a more flexible and pragmatic way.
Phases in the acquisition of knowledge
The acquisition of knowledge is not an easy task and that is why several stages have been identified that are passed before being able to consider that knowledge has been consolidated as such.
Up to 5 necessary phases have been described. They are the following.
1. Identification
In this phase of knowledge acquisition It must be determined, first of all, whether the problem presented to us can be solved or not through knowledge-based systems; That is, it should not be a problem that can be solved by applying algorithms.
In addition, you must have access to sufficient sources of knowledge to complete the task (experts, specialized bibliography, etc.). And the problem must be of an adequate size, one that is not impossible to address due to its complexity.
2. Conceptualization
In this phase, the basic elements of the problem must be detailed and the relationships between them discovered It is also about breaking down the problem into subproblems to facilitate its understanding and resolution.
Another necessary element in this phase is to discover the flow of reasoning in solving the problem and specify when and how the elements of knowledge are necessary. The ultimate goal is to understand the problem and classify its elements.
3. Formalization
In this phase of knowledge acquisition, The objective is to consider different reasoning schemes that can be used to model the different resolution needs of identified problems.
The nature of the search space and the type of search to be performed must be understood, through comparisons with different prototypical problem-solving mechanisms (classification, data abstraction, temporal reasoning, etc.)
The certainty and completeness of the available information must be analyzed, as well as its reliability or consistency of the information. The objective is to develop a formal model of the problem with which the expert system can reason.
4. Implementation
In the implementation phase, the most appropriate algorithms for problem resolution must be selected or defined and data structures for knowledge representation. It is about discovering problems and incompleteness that will force you to review some of the previous phases.
5. Test
In this last testing phase, a set of representative solved cases must be chosen and the functioning of the system must be verified. In this phase, errors are uncovered that will allow previous analyzes to be corrected.
In general, problems will appear due to lack of rules, incompleteness, lack of correctness, and possible errors in the analysis of the pre-established rules.
Piaget’s learning theory
According to Piaget, the organism constructs knowledge from its interaction with the environment. The popular psychologist denied the existence of innate knowledge and defended in his theory of learning that people try to know reality through the selection, interpretation and organization of the information we receive.
The acquisition of knowledge, according to Piaget, would be carried out through mechanisms of assimilation and accommodation The information received would be integrated into the knowledge schemes already built in the individual and, in turn, these would be mobilized, modified and experiencing a process of accommodation or readjustment.
Assimilation and accommodation
Assimilation and accommodation are two complementary adaptation processes, postulated by Piaget through which the individual internalizes knowledge of the outside world.
The assimilation process refers to the way in which an organism copes with a stimulus from the environment in terms of current organization. Mental assimilation is the process by which new information is molded into pre-existing cognitive schemes.
The accommodation process involves a modification of the current organization in response to the demands of the environment. It is a process by which the individual adjusts to external conditions, that is, internal schemes are modified to accommodate new information.
Ausubel’s meaningful learning
David P. Ausubel was an American psychologist and one of the main promoters of constructivism. Ausubel rejected the Piagetian assumption that we only understand what we discover since according to him we can learn anything as long as said learning is significant.
Meaningful learning is the process of knowledge acquisition according to which new knowledge or information is related to the cognitive structure of the learner in a non-arbitrary and substantive or non-literal way.
This interaction with the cognitive structure does not occur considering it as a whole, but with relevant aspects present in it, which are called subsumers or anchoring ideas.
The presence of inclusive, clear and available ideas, concepts or propositions in the learner’s mind is what gives meaning to this new content in interaction with it.
But it is not simply a union of concepts, but in this process the new contents acquire meaning for the learner and a transformation occurs in the subsumers of their cognitive structure, which thus become progressively more differentiated, elaborated and stable.
The sociocultural theory of Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky, one of the most prominent theorists of developmental psychology and a precursor of Soviet neuropsychology, focuses on the contributions that society makes to individual development and the acquisition of knowledge.
This theory focuses not only on how adults and peers influence individual learning but also in how cultural beliefs and attitudes impact the way in which knowledge is taught and constructed.
According to Vygotsky, each culture provides what he called tools of intellectual adaptation, which allow children to use their basic cognitive skills in a way that is sensitive to the cultural environment in which they grow and develop.
One of the most important concepts of his theory is the zone of proximal development This concept refers to the distance between the actual level of development determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development, determined by problem solving under the guidance and supervision of an adult or more competent peers.
How does our brain learn?
Cognitive neuroscience warns us, time and time again, that Learning based on pure repetition and memorization is not the most appropriate way for our brain to acquire and consolidate knowledge
It seems that we do not learn by memorizing, but by experimenting, by getting involved and by participating with our hands. Various scientific studies have proven that factors such as surprise, novelty, motivation or teamwork are essential factors to promote and promote learning and the acquisition of knowledge.
Another essential factor when acquiring new knowledge is the emotion and significance of the material to be learned. Learning under the influence of positive emotions and feelings that imply passion, lucidity or curiosity means increasing the person’s chances of assimilating said knowledge.
Ultimately, it is about involving the person in their own learning process so that learning and acquiring new knowledge is a challenge and not an obligation.
